Guillotine chopper arrangement

ABSTRACT

An improved guillotine chopper arrangement particularly adapted to chopping heterogenous stranded materials such as transmission lines into short preselected lengths. A high mass inertia wheel is mounted on a shaft for rotation in a preselected direction and at a preselected rotational rate and has pockets cut therein and rotating blade means are coupled in the pockets. Peripheral surfaces of the rotating blade means other than the cutting surface are tightly abutted against matching walls in the blade supporting pockets of the inertia wheel to absorb the impact energy during chopping and transmits same from the blade directly to the intertia wheel. A fixed blade is mounted in a pocket cut in a fixed blade support and the peripheral surfaces of the fixed blade are tightly abutted against matching peripheral walls of a pocket cut into the fixed blade support to absorb the impact energy during the chopping operation and transmits the forces directly to the fixed blade support. The rotating blade means passes in material chopping relationship to the fixed blade and material to be chopped is synchronously fed through an aperture in the fixed blade support, past the fixed blade a preselected distance where it is engaged by the rotating blade means during each rotation and is severed. The feed means is synchronously operated so that feeding is terminated during the chopping operation and feed occurs when the rotating blade means are rotated away from positions adjacent the fixed blade.

United States Patent 1 Steinberg et al.

[ Dec. 4, 1973 GUILLOTINE CHOPPER ARRANGEMENT [73] Assignee: said Steinberg, by said Libow [22] Filed: Jan. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 218,064

[52] US. Cl 83/225, 83/230, 83/261, 83/356.3, 83/592, 83/698, 83/923, 241/245 [51] Int. Cl 826d 5/22 [58] Field of Search 83/259, 261, 225, 83/230, 257, 923, 906, 592, 355, 698, 701, 925 R, 356.3; 241/245, 188 R, 14; 144/118 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,612,412 10/1971 Graveman 83/923 X 3,224,312 12/1965 Larson 83/355 2,497,155 2/1950 Davis 83/355 X 3,091,988 6/1963 Bonds 83/355 3,648,556 3/ 1972 Hamilton et a] 83/923 X 1,363,778 12/1920 Griffin 83/355 1,908,014 5/1933 Evans et al. 83/261 3,082,655 3/1963 Voigt 83/257 X 2,826,251 3/1958 Hopkins 83/261 Primary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner-James F. Coan Attorney-Finkelstein & Mueth [57 ABSTRACT An improved guillotine chopper arrangement particularly adapted to chopping heterogenous stranded materials such as transmission lines into short preselected lengths. A high mass inertia wheel is mounted on a shaft for rotation in a preselected direction and at a preselected rotational rate and has pockets cut therein and rotating blade means are coupled in the pockets. Peripheral surfaces of the rotating blade means other than the cutting surface are tightly abutted against matching walls in the blade supporting pockets of the inertia wheel to absorb the impact energy during chopping and transmits same from the blade directly to the intertia wheel. A fixed blade is mounted in a pocket cut in a fixed blade support and the peripheral surfaces of the fixed blade are tightly abutted against matching peripheral walls of a pocket cut into the fixed blade support to absorb the impact energy during the chopping operation and transmits the forces directly to the fixed blade support. The rotating blade means passes in material chopping relationship to the fixed blade and material to be chopped is synchronously fed through an aperture in the fixed blade supadjacent the fixed blade.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Will-ll] PAIENIEI] DEC 4 I975 I sum 1 BF 3 ETZUF 3 SHE PATENTEU DEC 4 1975 FEED 1 GUILLOTINE CHOPPER ARRANGEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a guillotine chopper arrangement and more particularly, to an improved guillotine chopper arrangement particularly adapted to chopping heterogeneous braided transmission lines into preselected short length segments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Guillotine type chopper arrangements have been utilized in the'past for severing material into comparatively short length segments. However, for many types of materials such prior art guillotine arrangements have not been generally completely satisfactory. For example, in cutting heterogeneous materials such as a braided transmission line wherein steel strands are utilized for strength in the center of the transmission lines, and aluminum strands are utilized on the exterior thereof for the electrical carrying capacity, prior art guillotine type cutters have not proven reliable and/or long lived in chopping such transmission lines for subsequent re-use, into comparatively short length segments.

That is, the short segments may be efficiently utilized as scrap in the manufacture of, for example, new aluminum and steel products thereby helping to conserve the supply of these metals. It is obvious, of course, that the braided transmission line, often thousands of feet in length, cannot be utilized directly in such salvage and re-use cycles, but must first be severed into small length segments and then separated as to material.

One of the main problems associated with prior an guillotine type cutters has been that the blade support arrangement for supporting both the fixed and rotating blades has not prevented excessive blade wear and/or blade destruction. The shock loads and impact loads imposed when cutting through such heterogeneous materials induces a comparatively high degree of blade failure. The blade failure may be either the rotating blade means or the fixed blade, or both.

It is believed that one reason for the comparatively high failure in prior art chopper arrangements when so utilized has been the improper blade support allowing a high degree of vibration and/or shock impulse to be transmitted directly thereto without proper absorption by other structure. That is, the blades were not secured in a manner that allowed them to operate satisfactorily in these applications. It is also believed that a cutting action in which a sharpened edge of either the fixed or the rotating blade was utilized to sever the segments resulted in very rapid deteriorationof the edge and consequent frequent blade changes.

Therefore, there has long been a need for a chopper arrangement that could provide comparatively long blade life when chopping, inter alia, heterogeneous materials such as braided transmission lines.

It will be apparent, of course, that in many transmission line applications, the power companies have continued to utilize the same rights of way for their transmission lines but the increase in the electrical power demand has necessitated an increase in the electrical carrying capacity of the transmission lines. Therefore, such electrical power companies have been removing older and smaller transmission lines and replacing them with larger transmission lines. This has resulted in a large amount of material in the older transmission lines available for scrap. However, due to the heterogeneous nature of such transmission lines, that is, having an interior core of steel wires utilized for load carrying capacity and an outer shell of aluminum wire utilized for the electrical carrying capacity, they cannot be directly converted into scrap but must first be separated. Since the lay of the braided transmission wires is known and may be contrahelically wound, the segments in which such transmission lines must be chopped is preferably shorter than the lay so that after chopping the individual segments of each strand will readily fall away from the other strands. Magnetic separation can then be utilized to remove the steel wire strands from the aluminum wire strands and recycling and re-use of both the aluminum strands and the steel strands may then be readily accomplished. Thus, in order to preserve the natural resources it is desirable to provide a chopper that readily severs such transmission lines into the smaller segments desired so that re-use and/or recycling of the materials may be accomplished.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved guillotine type chopper arrangement.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved guillotine type chopper arrangement having comparatively long blade life when utilized to sever heterogeneous material.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved guillotine chopper arrangement in which both the rotating and fixed blades may be readily changed as required.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved guillotine-chopper arrangement that is comparatively low in cost and has an extended service life.

The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved, in a preferred embodiment thereof, by providing ahigh mass rotating inertia wheel mounted for rotary motion on a frame. The high mass of the rotating inertia wheel insures that comparatively high severing force will be applied during severing of the material to be chopped without harmful vibratory and- /or shock loading eflects imposed thereon. The high mass inertia wheel is mounted on a shaft having a blade end and a drive end. A drive motor means is drivingly coupled to a drive wheel on the drive end of the shaft by means of, for example, a chain drive, and rotates the shaft and inertia wheel at a predetermined rotational rate and in a predetermined rotational direction. In order to provide the high mass, in certain application such as severing transmission lines into small segments, it has been found that structure comprising a rigid rotating shaft upon which may be mounted one or more high mass flywheels may help provide the high rotating mass desired in the present invention.

The inertia wheel itself may be coupled to one of the comparatively high mass flywheels. The inertia wheel has walls cut therein and the first of these walls define feed apertures therethrough, second of these walls in a feed face of the inertia wheel comprise pockets for supporting the rotating blade means and third of these walls comprise a release aperture through which the severed material may pass to a collecting bin. The feed aperture and the release aperture extend through the inertia wheel but the rotating blade supporting pocket extends only part of the way through. Rotating blade means are coupled to the inertia wheel in the pockets and the rotating blades have a cutting surface and peripheral surfaces. The peripheral surfaces of the rotating blade are tightly abutted against the second walls defining the pocket in the inertia wheel so that any loads imposed on the rotating blade are transmitted directly to the inertia wheel and oscillation or vibration of the blade itself does not take place. No cutting edge is provided on the rotating blade means but rather a planar surface extending the entire depth of the rotating blade in axial directions is the cutting surface utilized to accomplish the severing of the material to be chopped.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the rotating blade projects slightly in front of the forward or feed face of the inertia wheel and extends slightly over the walls defining the pocket to provide clean severing action. Since the inertia wheel provides only a high mass and supports the rotating blades, the inertia wheel may be fabricated of a comparatively low cost material such as low carbon steel, while the rotating blades themselves are preferably fabricated of a high grade tool steel so that the wear associated with the severing action is minimized.

A fixed blade support means is coupled to the frame in close proximity but spaced from the feed face of the inertia wheel. The fixed blade support has walls defining a feed passage therethrough and through which the materials to be severed passes. The fixed blade support also has other walls defining a fixed blade supporting pocket in the back face thereof that is immediately adjacent to the feed face of the inertia wheel and the re tating blades. A fixed blade having a preselected cutting surface and peripheral walls is coupled to the fixed blade support in the pocket and the peripheral wall thereof are tightly abutted against the walls defining the pocket in the fixed blade support for the same reasons as the tight abuttment of the rotating blades in the inertia wheel. The cutting surface of the fixed blade is axially aligned with the feed passage through the fixed blade support and the cutting surface has a preselected contour. I

In regions external the fixed blade support, there is provided a synchronously operable feed means for feeding the material to be severed through the feed passage in the fixed blade support and through the feed apertures in the inertia wheel. The synchronously operable feed means generally comprises a feed wheel driven by a motor means through a high speed on-ofl clutch. A cam having feed lobes that are synchronized with the inertia wheel is mounted on the shaft and rotates therewith. A cam follower is activated by the feed lobes and is connected to a control arm that operates the high speed on-off clutch in the feed means. Thus, for the period of time when the feed apertures in the inertia wheel are opposite the feed passage in the fixed blade support, the feed lobes activate the cam follower and allow feeding of the material to be severed therethrough, past the fixed blade and past the plane of the rotating blade. As the rotating blade means approaches the feed aperture, feeding of the material is stopped by the action of the cam controlling the control arm which, in turn, disengages the high speed on-off clutch to prevent further rotation of the feed wheel. Feeding of the material to be severed stops, and the material that has been fed is severed by the passage of the rotating blade in close proximity to the fixed blade. The third walls in the inertia wheel allow the severed segments to fall free of the inertia wheel and into a collecting bin.

After the severed material has been collected in the feed bin, it may be separated into its constituent ele: ments. For example, where transmission lines have been severed into short segments and the transmission lines contain a plurality of steel wires and a plurality of aluminum wires, magnetic separation may be utilized.

It will be appreciated that the length of the segment to be cut is preferably less than one lay of the braided transmission line in this application so that the severed segments will fall free of each other. This may be controlled by the rate of feed which, of course, is controlled in part, by the rotational rate of the feed wheel means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above embodiments of the present invention may be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 22 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line 77 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along the line 88 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of a fixed blade useful in the practice of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 an embodiment of an improved chopper arrangement, generally designated 10, in which there is pro vided a frame means 12 upon which are mounted a pair of bearings 14 and 16. A drive shaft 18 is rotatably mounted in the bearings 14 and 16 for rotation in a preselected direction and at a preselected rotational rate. The drive shaft has a drive end 20 and a blade end 22.

A drive wheel 24 is coupled to the drive end 20 of the drive shaft 18 for rotation therewith. A drive motor 26 is mounted on the frame 12 and has a pinion gear 28 connected by a belt means 30 to drive the drive wheel 24 and thus rotate the drive shaft 18 at the preselected rotational rate in the preselected rotational direction. It will be appreciated that a direct drive between the pinion 28 and the drive wheel 24 such as by gears, friction drive or the like could be provided as well as belt drive or other forms of transmitting the rotation from the drive motor 26 to the drive wheel 24.

As noted above, it is preferred that the rotating mass in the present invention be comparatively high to minimize shock and other loadings imposed thereon during the severing operation. To achieve such a high mass,

particularly for those applications wherein transmission line material is to be severed, it has been found that the drive shaft 18 may be a large spindle and mounted thereon is a pair of high mass flywheels 32 and 34. It will be appreciated, however, that the rotating mass desired in the present invention may be selected from considerations of the material to be chopped and the loads imposed during the chopping operation.

An inertia wheel 36 may be coupled to, for example, one of the flywheels, such as flywheel 34 and rotates with the drive shaft 18. Rotating blade means 39 such as the pair of rotating blades 38 and 40 are coupled to the inertia wheel 36, as described below in greater detail. While the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 illustrates two rotating blades 38 and 40, it will be appreciated that one rotating blade or more than two rotating blades may be provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

A fixed blade support 42 is mounted on the frame 12 adjacent the inertia wheel, and, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, also provides support for the bearing 16 in which the drive shaft 18 is mounted. A fixed blade 44 is coupled to the fixed blade support 42, as described below in greater detail. The fixed blade 44 is in close proximity to the rotating blade means 38 and 40 so that material to be chopped 46 may be effectively severed.

A synchronously operable feed means, generally designated 48, is in material feeding relationship to the fixed blade support 42 and feeds the material to be chopped 46. The synchronously operable feed means generally comprises a cam means 50 coupled to the blade end 22 of the drive shaft 18 for rotation therewith. A cam follower 52 is resiliently mounted, for example, by spring means 54 on the frame means 12 and follows the cam 50. The cam follower 52 is operatively connected by cam arm 56 to the brake arm 58. Synchronously operable feed means 48 also comprises a feed wheel 60 driven through on-off clutch 62 by feed motor 64 rotating feed drive wheel 172. The feed motor 64 may drive the on-ofi clutch 62 by, for example, a belt 66 engaging feed drive wheel 172, or by any other form of motion transmitting means for providing rotation of the on-off clutch A guide wheel 68 mounted on support arm 70 is coupled to the frame means 12 at the fixed blade support 42 and helps guide the material to be chopped 46.0peration of the synchronously operable feed means 48 is generally described below.

As noted above, a particular application in which the present invention finds utility is in the severing of transmission lines into short segments. Thus, the material to be chopped 46 may comprise such a transmission line. As shown in FIG. 8, such a transmission line generally comprises a braided heterogeneous mixture of individual strands having a known lay to the braid. The trans- I mission line generally comprises a plurality of steel strands 46 in the center portion thereof and aplurality of aluminum strands 46" around the periphery in contrahelically wound layers. The overall diameter of the braided transmission lines 46 may be on the order of l 2", 3" or more. The number of strands of steel 46 and aluminum 46" depends upon the electrical loading carrying requirements and the required tensile strength. That is, the steel strands 46' are generally utilized to provide the high tensile strength needed for supporting the transmission line and the aluminum strands 46" are generallyprovided to have a high electrical conductivity for carrying the electrical load. "It will be appreciated that in severing such-abraided transmission line, the severing action takes place first through the comparatively soft aluminum strands 46", then through both the steel strands 46' and the aluminum strands 46" and ultimatelythrough the remainder of the aluminum strands '46" when severing is completed. The variation in the h'ardness and density between the steel strands 46' and the aluminum strands 46" have often resultedin comparatively poor blade life and high shockloading'imposed thereon resulting in short operable life of prior guillotine chopper arrangem ents.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown the structure associated with the preferred arrangement of the fixed blade support 42 and fixed blade 44. As

shown thereon, the fixed blade support 42 may be provided with a bearing cap 70 coupled to the fixed blade support 42by bolt means'72 for supportingthe bearing 16 therein in which the drive shaft '18 is rotatably mounted. It will be appreciated, of course, that the other bearing 14-may also be similarly mounted. Drive shaft l8'rotates in the direction indicated by'the arrow 74 at the preselected rotational rate and in the preselected rotational direction.

The fixed blade support means 42 has a first preselected axial thickness in the direction of the axis of rotation 76indicated onFIG. 5 by the letter a. The fixed blade support 42 is also provided with first walls '80 defining a feed passage 82 through which the material to be chopped 46 passes in the direction indicated by the arrow 84 on FIG. 5.

The fixed blade support means 42 has a feed end surface 86 and a back surface 88. As can be seen, the feed end surface 86 is spaced the first preselected axial thickness a from the back surface 88.

The fixed blade support means 42 also has first walls 90 defining a blade support pocket 92 having a preselected depth indicated by the letter 0 on FIG. 5. The first preselected depth is less than the first preselected axial thickness a. A first portion 90 of the first walls 90 define impact energy absorbing walls.

The fixed blade 44 is coupled to the fixed blade support means 42 in the pocket 92 by belts 106 and has a cutting surface 94, having a preselected contour, and the cutting surface 94 is positioned over the feed passage 82 of the fixed blade support 42. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the contour of the cutting surface 94 of the fixed blade is preferably an obtuse angle on the order of 120, as shown on FIG. 4, and the apex 96 thereof is rounded to provide better abuttment against the material to be chopped 46.

The fixed blade 44 also has peripheral surfaces 98 that are tightly abutted against the impact energy absorbing wall 90' of the first walls 90 defining the fixed blade support pocket 92. The fixed blade 44 has a feed end surface 100 and a back surface 102 and a second preselected axial thickness indicated by the letter b therebetween as indicated on FIG. 5. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cutting surface 94 of the fixed blade 44 has the second preselected thickness b and severing of the material to be chopped 46 is achieved against this surface 94 rather than against a sharp edge therein. It will be appreciated that the second preselected axial thickness b of thefixed blade 94 is less than the first preselected axial thickness a of the fixed blade support 42. Additionally, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, the second preselected axial thickness b of the fixed blade 44 is greater than the first preselected depth of the fixed blade support pocket 92 so that there is a projecting segment, indicated at 104, that extends axially past the rear face 88 of the fixed blade support 42. The projection 104 may be comparatively small, for example on the order of a few hundredths of an inch in order to provide a clearance between the rear face 102 of the fixed blade 44 and the rear face 88 of the fixed blade support 42 so that the fixed blade support 42 does not interfere with the chopping operation.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the fixed blade 44 is detachably coupled to the fixed blade support 42 by means of, for example, countersunk bolts 106. Because of the tight abuttment of the peripheral surface 98 of the fixed blade 44 against the impact energy absorbing walls 90' of the first walls 90 of the fixed blade support 42, the bolts 106 merely retain the fixed blade 44 in place and are not subjected to any shear loading during the chopping operation. Further, this particular arrangement for coupling the fixed blade 44 to the fixed blade support 42 allows for comparatively fast and easy replacement of the fixed blade 44 as required. The tight abuttment of the peripheral walls 98 of the fixed blade 44 against the impact energy absorbing walls 90' of the first walls 90 transmits all of the shock loading imposed upon the fixed blade 44 during the chopping operation directly to the fixed blade support 42 and therefore does not subject the fixed blade 44 to the damaging shock loading and/or vibratory actions associated with prior art choppers.

FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of a fixed blade, generally designated 200, useful in the practice of the present invention. The embodiment 200 comprises the fixed blade 202 and has a cutting surface 204. As shown on FIG. 9, the cutting surface 204 generally comprises a circular aperture extending through the fixed blade 202 from the feed end surface 206 to the back surface 208. The thickness of the fixed blade 202 between the feed end surface 206 and back surface 208 may, for example, be the same thickness b as for the fixed blade 44 described above.

The fixed blade 202 may be positioned in the pocket 92 of the fixed blade support means 42 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in a manner similar to that shown for the fixed blade 44. However, the additional bolt holes 212 may accommodate bolts in addition to the bolts 106 for supporting the fixed blade 202 therein. The peripheral surface 210 of the fixed blade 202 may be tightly abutted against the impact energy absorbing wall 90' of the first wall 90 defining the fixed blade support pocket 92 in the fixed blade support means 42 in a manner similar to that described above and for the same purpose.

It will be appreciated that the configuration of the cutting surface 204 of the fixed blade 202 offers certain advantages in certain applications of the present invention. That is, the entire fixed blade 202 may be rotated 90 at any time by removing and reinstalling the bolts 106 holding the fixed blade 202 in place. Thus, worn portions of the cutting surface 204 may be positioned in areas where they are not subjected to the cutting action during severing of the material 46 and thus, essentially, four separate positions may be provided by a single fixed blade 202 before blade replacement becomes necessary. The comparatively easy installation and replacement of the fixed blade 202 according to the principles of the invention provides increased utilization time of the apparatus and consequently, less down time when the apparatus cannot be utilized.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 there is shown the structure associated with the preferred embodiment of the inertia wheel 36 and rotating blade means 39 which, as noted above, comprises the pair of rotating blades 38 and 40 in this embodiment of the invention. The inertia wheel 36 rotates with the drive shaft 18 and is spaced a predetermined distance from the fixed blade 44 so that the rotating blades 38 and 40 pass within material severing relationship to the fixed blade 44.

The inertia wheel 36 is provided with a blade mounting face 110, a back face 112, and a third preselected axial thickness indicated on FIG. 3 by the letter d therebetween. The inertia wheel 36 also has first walls 114 defining a rotating blade supporting pocket means 116 therein extending a second preselected depth indicated by the letter f on FIG. 3 from the blade mounting face towards the back face 112. A first portion 114' of the first walls 114 comprise impact energy ab sorbing walls.

The inertia wheel also has second walls 116 that extend substantially circumferentially from the first walls 114 in the direction of rotation of the inertia wheel 36, as indicated by the arrow 74. The second walls 1 16 define feed apertures 118 extending through the inertia wheel 36. Third walls 120 are also provided on the inertia wheel 36 and communicate with the feed aperture 118 and are adjacent but spaced from the first walls 1 l4 defining the pocket 1 16. The third walls 120 define chopped material release apertures 122 through which the material to be chopped 46 exits from the inertia wheel after being severed. The position of the material to be severed 46 is shown in dotted lines on FIG. 2.

The rotating blades 38 and 40 have cutting surfaces 124 and peripheral surfaces 126. The peripheral surfaces 126 tightly abutt the impact energy absorbing walls 114 of'the first walls 114 defining the pocket 116. The rotating blades 38 and 40 have an outer surface 127 and in inner surface 128 and a fourth preselected axial thickness indicated by the letter 2 on FIG. 3 therebetween. The fourth preselected axial thickness e is less than the third preselected axial thickness d of the inertia wheel 36 and, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, is greater than the second preselected depth f of the pockets 116. This provides, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, a second preselected overhang 130 of the rotating blades 38 and 40 past the forward face 110 of the inertia wheel 36 towards the fixed blade 44. The second preselected overhang 130 is on the order of several hundredths of an inch and provides clearance so that the forward face 110 of the inertia wheel 36 does not interfere with the severing operation.

As can be seen, the cutting surface 124 of the fixed blades 38 and 40 is a planar surface having the fourth preselected axial thickness e. The cutting surface 124 of each of the fixed blades 38 and 40 pas in material cutting relationship to the cutting surface 94 of the fixed blade 44 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 during each rotation of the inertia wheel 36. Therefore, the outer surface 127 of each of the rotating blades 38 and 40 are adjacent the back surface 88 of the fixed blade support 42 (FIG. I

The tight abuttment of the peripheral walls 126 of the rotating blades 38 and 40 against the impact energy absorbing walls 114' of the first walls 114 defining the rotating blade supporting pocket l16 transmits impact energy directly to the inertia wheel 36 and thus prevents destructive forces from being imposed directly on the rotating blades 38 and 40.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rotating blades 38 and 40 are detachably coupled by means of, for example, bolts 132 countersunk from the forward surface 127 on the inertia wheel 36. Because of the tight abuttment above-mentioned, the bolts 132 are not subjected to any shear loading but merely retain the rotating blades 38 and 40 in place. This mounting arrangement also allows rapid replacement of the rotating blades 38 and 40.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention described above, it can be seen that there are two rotating blades 38 and 40 coupled to the inertia wheel 36 approximately 180 apart.

In order to achieve an effective severing, the material to be chopped 46 is allowed to be through the feed apertures 118 while the feed apertures 118 pass the position indicated by the material .46 of FIG. 2. This is indicated on FIG. 2 by the two areas marked feed. During the time interval when the fixed blade 38 or 40 passes the position indicated by the material to be chopped 46 as well as the rest of the structure of the inertia wheel that would block feeding, the feed of the material to be chopped 46 is terminated. This is indicated by the areas marked stopped feed. This feeding is achieved, as noted above, by the synchronously operable feed means 48.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a preferred structural arrangement for the synchronously operable feed means 48. As shown, the synchronously operable feed means 48 generally comprises the cam 50 mounted on the drive shaft 18 for rotation therewith. The cam 50 is provided with feed lobes 140 and 142. The cam means 50 is coupled to the drive shaft 18 so that the feed lobes 140 and 142 correspond to the feed apertures 118 in the inertia wheel 36 and the areas marked feed, on FIG. 2. v

A cam follower 52 is resiliently supported by resilient supporting means 54 coupled to the cap 70 and moves in vertical directions as indicated by the double ended arrow 144 in response to the contour of the cam 50. As noted above, the cam follower 52 is connected by arm means 56 to the brake arm 58. The brake arm 58 is also spring loaded by spring means 146 to the frame 12. The brake arm 58 engages the on-off clutch 62 and for the condition of the feed lobes 140 or 142 raising the cam follower 52 the brake arm 58 is lifted from contact with the on-off clutch 62 connected to the feed wheel 60. The on-ofi clutch 62 may, for example, be a spring clutch such as that manufactured by Precision Specialities, lnc., Pitman, N.J. As such, when the brake arm 58 engages the release 62 of the on-off clutch 62, no rotaty motion is transmitted to the feed shaft 150. This occurs when the stop-feed lobes 154 and 156 engage the cam follower 52 and the brake 58' is allowed to be resiliently pulled against the release 62. However, when the cam follower engages the feed lobes 140 and 142 the brake 58 is lifted from contact with the release 62 of the on-ofi clutch 62 and rotary motion is transmitted from the shaft 158 through the on-off clutch 62 to the feed shaft 150. The feed wheel 60 is mounted on the feed shaft 150 and rotated therewith. The feed shaft 150 and shaft 158 may be rotatably mounted in supports 160 coupled to the frame 12.

The feed motor 64 rotates the pinion 170 at a preselected feed rotational rate and in a preselected direction and this rotary motion is transmitted to a feed drive wheel 172 that is connected, for example, by chain means 66 to the pinion 170. Rotation of the feed drive wheel 172 rotates the shaft 158 and, under the conditions noted above, the feed shaft 150 is rotated or not rotated depending upon the action of the cam follower 52.

The feed wheel 60 has a resilient, for example, rubber member 171 that moves the material to be chopped 46 in the direction indicated by the arrow 178. The guide wheel 68 is rotatably mounted on arms 70 and aids in maintaining the material to be chopped 46 in proper alignment with the feed passage 80 in the fixed blade support 42.

- It will be appreciated that the maximum length of cut for a given installation is governed by the separation between the rear face 102 of the fixed blade 44 and the back surface 112 of the inertia wheel 36 in the embodiment of the invention described above, as well as the rotational rate of feed wheel 60. Thus, by suitably adjusting the depth through the inertia wheel 36 and, if desired, through wheel 34 and the rotational rate of the feed wheel 60, any desired length of segmentmay be chopped from material to be chopped 46.

In order to insure that the inertia wheel 36 does not interfere with the severing operation, it is preferred that the fixed blades 38 and'40 have a third preselected overhang distance 180 (FIG. 3) extending beyond portion 114" of first walls 114 defining the pocket 116 of the inertia wheel 36 and over a portion of the feed apertures 118 Thus, the cutting surface 124 thereof is spaced a preselected overhang distance from the structure of the inertia wheel 36in this area. This is illustrated in FIG. 3.

In operation, the material to be severed 46 is synchronously fed through the feed aperture 80 in the fixed blade support 42 past the cutting surface 94 of the fixed blade 44 it enters into the feed apertures 118 until the rotating blades 38 and 40 approach. At this point, feed of the material to be chopped 46 is stopped due to the action of the synchronously operable feed arrangement 48. The cutting surface 124 of the rotating blade means 39 engages the material to be chopped46. The shearing action of the cutting. surface 124 of the rotating blades 38 and40 adjacent to the cutting surface 94 of the fixed blade 44 severs the material 46. The impact of the rotating blades 38 and tends to move the severed segments of the material to be chopped 46 in the direction of rotation and they fall' free through the apertures 122. They may then be collected in a bin (not shown) and, when comprised of heterogeneous material may, if one of the materials is magnetic, be separated by magnetic'separation into individual groupings. The individual groupings may then be effectively recycled for reuse.

are intended to cover all such variations and adaptations falling within the true scope and spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved guillotine chopper arrangement for severing material to be chopped into preselected length segments and comprising, in combination:

a frame means;

bearing means mounted on said frame means;

a drive shaft having a drive end and a blade end and rotatably mounted in said bearing means for rotating in a preselected direction and at a preselected rotational rate;

rotation producing means for rotating said drive shaft at said preselected rotational rate;

fixed blade support means having a first preselected axial thickness and first walls defining a feed passage therethrough and coupled to said frame -means;

a fixed blade coupled to said fixed blade support means and said fixed blade having a cutting surface having a preselected contour and positioned adjacent said feed passage of said fixed blade support, peripheral surfaces, a feed end and a back surface, and a second preselected axial thickness less than said first preselected axial thickness between said feed end surface and said back surface;

an inertia wheel mounted on said blade end of said drive shaft for rotation therewith and spaced from said fixed blade, and said inertia wheel comprising: a blade mounting face, a back face and a'third preselected axial thickness therebetween;

first walls defining rotating blade supporting pocket means extending a preselected depth less than said third preselected thickness from said blade mounting face toward said back face of said inertia wheel, and a first portion of said first walls defining impact energy absorbing'walls;

second walls extending circumferentially in said preselected direction of rotation from said first walls and defining feed aperture means through said inertia wheel; and

third walls communicating with said second walls and adjacent said first walls and defining a chopper material release aperture through said inertia wheel;

rotating blade means coupled to said inertia wheel in said rotating blade supporting pocket means, and having a cutting surface, peripheral surfaces tightly abutting said impact energy absorbing walls of said inertia wheel, an outer surface and an inner surface and a fourth preselected axial thickness less than said third preselected axial thickness and greater than said preselected depth between said outer and said inner surface;

said cutting surface of said rotating blade means passing in material cutting relationship to said cutting surface of said fixed blade and adjacent said back surface of said fixed blade; and.

synchronously operable feed means spaced from said feed end surface of said fixed blade means and operatively synchronized with said inertia wheel for synchronously feeding material to be chopped adjacent said cutting surface of said fixed blade and into said feed aperture means of said inertia wheel for the condition of said feed aperture means axially aligned with said fixed blade, and terminating said feeding of said material to be chopped for the condition of said feed apertures spaced from said fixed blade.

2. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein: said fixed blade support means further comprises:

a feed end surface, a back surface and said back surface spaced said first preselected distance from said feed end surface;

first walls defining a fixed blade support pocket having a second preselected depth less than said first preselected axial thickness and extending from said back surface of said fixed blade support towards said feed surface of said fixed blade support; and

a first portion of said first walls of said fixed blade support'means defining impact energy absorbing walls;

said peripheral surfaces of said fixed blade tightly abutting said impact energy absorbing walls of said fixed blade support means; and said cutting surface of said fixed blade has said second preselected axial thickness. 3. The arrangement defined in claim 2 wherein: said fixed blade is detachably coupled to said fixed blade support; and said rotating blade is detachably coupled to said inertia wheel. 4. The arrangement defined in claim 3 wherein: said first walls of said inertia wheel define two rotating blades supporting pocket means therein spaced approximately apart; said rotating blade means comprise a first blade coupled in a first of said rotating blade supporting pocket means and a second blade coupled in the second of said two rotating blade supporting pocket means; said rotation producing means comprises:

a drive wheel coupled to said drive end of said drive shaft for rotation therewith; and drive. motor means operatively engaging said drive wheel for rotating said drive wheel and said drive shaft at said preselected rotational rate and in said preselected direction. 5. The arrangement defined in claim 4 wherein: said cutting surface of said rotating blade means comprises a planar surface having said fourth preselected axial thickness and projects a first preselected overhang distance in the direction of rotation over said feed aperture means of said inertia wheel. 6. The arrangement defined in claim 5 wherein: said outer surface of said rotating blade means projects a second preselected overhang distance past said blade mounting face of said inertia wheel and towards said fixed blade. 7. The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein: said back surfaceof said fixed blade projects a third preselected overhang distance past said back surface of said fixed blade support means and towards said rotating blade. 8. The arrangement defined in claim 2 wherein: said synchronously operable feed means comprises:

a cam means mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and having feed lobes thereon corresponding to the angular position of said feed apertures in said inertia wheel; a cam follower resiliently mounted on said frame means and engaging said cam;

rotatably mounted feed wheel means spaced a preselected distance from said feed surface of said fixed blade support means and aligned with said feed passage therein for feeding materials to be chopped therethrough and feeding materials to be chopped for the condition of rotation thereof and terminating the feeding of the material for the condition of the feed wheel stationary;

guide wheel means rotatably mounted on said frame and in material to be chopped engaging relationship to said feed wheel;

clutch means operatively connected to said feed wheel means for rotating said feed wheel for the condition of the clutch engages and preventing rotation thereof for the condition of said clutch means disengaged;

arm means connection to said carn follower and operatively engaging said clutch means to disengage said clutch for the said cam follower free of contact with said feed lobes on said cam.

9. The arrangement defined in claim 8 wherein: said clutch means is a spring clutch.

10. The arrangement defined in claim 7 wherein:

said synchronously operable feed means comprises:

a cam means mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and having feed lobes thereon corresponding to the angular position of said feed apertures in said inertia wheel;

a cam follower resiliently mounted on said frame means and engaging said cam;

rotatably mounted feed wheel means spaced a preselected distance from said feed surface of said-fixed blade support means and aligned with said feed passage therein for feeding materials to be chopped therethrough and feeding materials to be chopped for the condition of rotation thereof and terminating the feeding of the materials for the condition of the feed wheel stationary;

guide wheel means rotatably mounted on said frame and in material to be chopped relationship to said feed wheel;

clutch means operatively connected to said feed wheel means for rotating said feed wheel for the condition of the clutch engaged and preventing rotation thereof for the condition of said clutch means disengaged;

arm means connected to said cam follower and operativcly engaging said clutch means to disengage said clutch for the said cam follower free of contact with said feed lobes on said cam. 

1. An improved guillotine chopper arrangement for severing material to be chopped into preselected length segments and comprising, in combination: a frame means; bearing means mounted on said frame means; a drive shaft having a drive end and a blade end and rotatably mounted in said bearing means for rotating in a preselected direction and at a preselected rotational rate; rotation producing means for rotating said drive shaft at said preselected rotational rate; fixed blade support means having a first preselected axial thickness and first walls defining a feed passage therethrough and coupled to said frame means; a fixed blade coupled to said fixed blade support means and said fixed blade having a cutting surface having a preselected contour and positioned adjacent said feed passage of said fixed blade support, peripheral surfaces, a feed end and a back surface, and a second preselected axial thickness less than said first preselected axial thickness between said feed end surface and said back surface; an inertia wheel mounted on said blade end of said drive shaft for rotation therewith and spaced from said fixed blade, and said inertia wheel comprising: a blade mounting face, a back face and a third preselected axial thickness therebetween; first walls defining rotating blade supporting pocket means extending a preselected depth less than said third preselected thickness from said blade mounting face toward said back face of said inertia wheel, and a first portion of said first walls defining impact energy absorbing walls; second walls extending circumferentially in said preselected direction of rotation from said first walls and defining feed aperture means through said inertia wheel; and third walls communicating with said second walls and adjacent said first walls and defining a chopper material release aperture through said inertia wheel; rotating blade means coupled to said inertia wheel in said rotating blade supporting pocket means, and having a cutting surface, peripheral surfaces tightly abutting said impact energy absorbing walls of said inertia wheel, an outer surface and an inner surface and a fourth preselected axial thickness less than said third preselected axial thickness and greater than said preselected depth between said outer and said inner surface; said cutting surface of said rotating blade means passing in material cutting relationship to said cutting surface of said fixed blade and adjacent said back surface of said fixed blade; and synchronously operable feed means spaced from said feed end surface of said fixed blade means and operatively synchronized with said inertia wheel for synchronously feeding material to be chopped adjacent said cutting surface of said fixed blade and into said feed aperture means of said inertia wheel for the condition of said feed aperture means axially aligned with said fixed blade, and terminating said feeding of said material to be chopped for the condition of said feed apertures spaced from said fixeD blade.
 2. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein: said fixed blade support means further comprises: a feed end surface, a back surface and said back surface spaced said first preselected distance from said feed end surface; first walls defining a fixed blade support pocket having a second preselected depth less than said first preselected axial thickness and extending from said back surface of said fixed blade support towards said feed surface of said fixed blade support; and a first portion of said first walls of said fixed blade support means defining impact energy absorbing walls; said peripheral surfaces of said fixed blade tightly abutting said impact energy absorbing walls of said fixed blade support means; and said cutting surface of said fixed blade has said second preselected axial thickness.
 3. The arrangement defined in claim 2 wherein: said fixed blade is detachably coupled to said fixed blade support; and said rotating blade is detachably coupled to said inertia wheel.
 4. The arrangement defined in claim 3 wherein: said first walls of said inertia wheel define two rotating blades supporting pocket means therein spaced approximately 180* apart; said rotating blade means comprise a first blade coupled in a first of said rotating blade supporting pocket means and a second blade coupled in the second of said two rotating blade supporting pocket means; said rotation producing means comprises: a drive wheel coupled to said drive end of said drive shaft for rotation therewith; and drive motor means operatively engaging said drive wheel for rotating said drive wheel and said drive shaft at said preselected rotational rate and in said preselected direction.
 5. The arrangement defined in claim 4 wherein: said cutting surface of said rotating blade means comprises a planar surface having said fourth preselected axial thickness and projects a first preselected overhang distance in the direction of rotation over said feed aperture means of said inertia wheel.
 6. The arrangement defined in claim 5 wherein: said outer surface of said rotating blade means projects a second preselected overhang distance past said blade mounting face of said inertia wheel and towards said fixed blade.
 7. The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein: said back surface of said fixed blade projects a third preselected overhang distance past said back surface of said fixed blade support means and towards said rotating blade.
 8. The arrangement defined in claim 2 wherein: said synchronously operable feed means comprises: a cam means mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and having feed lobes thereon corresponding to the angular position of said feed apertures in said inertia wheel; a cam follower resiliently mounted on said frame means and engaging said cam; rotatably mounted feed wheel means spaced a preselected distance from said feed surface of said fixed blade support means and aligned with said feed passage therein for feeding materials to be chopped therethrough and feeding materials to be chopped for the condition of rotation thereof and terminating the feeding of the material for the condition of the feed wheel stationary; guide wheel means rotatably mounted on said frame and in material to be chopped engaging relationship to said feed wheel; clutch means operatively connected to said feed wheel means for rotating said feed wheel for the condition of the clutch engages and preventing rotation thereof for the condition of said clutch means disengaged; arm means connection to said cam follower and operatively engaging said clutch means to disengage said clutch for the said cam follower free of contact with said feed lobes on said cam.
 9. The arrangement defined in claim 8 wherein: said clutch means is a spring clutch.
 10. The arrangement defined in claim 7 wherein: said synchronously operable feed means compriSes: a cam means mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and having feed lobes thereon corresponding to the angular position of said feed apertures in said inertia wheel; a cam follower resiliently mounted on said frame means and engaging said cam; rotatably mounted feed wheel means spaced a preselected distance from said feed surface of said fixed blade support means and aligned with said feed passage therein for feeding materials to be chopped therethrough and feeding materials to be chopped for the condition of rotation thereof and terminating the feeding of the materials for the condition of the feed wheel stationary; guide wheel means rotatably mounted on said frame and in material to be chopped relationship to said feed wheel; clutch means operatively connected to said feed wheel means for rotating said feed wheel for the condition of the clutch engaged and preventing rotation thereof for the condition of said clutch means disengaged; arm means connected to said cam follower and operatively engaging said clutch means to disengage said clutch for the said cam follower free of contact with said feed lobes on said cam. 